This was trouble far beyond what ordinary White Bear Guards like them could handle.

At the very least, it required a Red Bear, or perhaps even a Gold Bear Level expert to manage the situation.

The three of them were small fry; combined, they wouldn't even be enough to fill a gap in the enemy's teeth.

"Have you contacted the organization?"

"We've reached out. Mr. Red Bear Guard is heading to Burnt Rock, but the earliest he can arrive is tomorrow..."

"So, what am I supposed to do now..."

Gao Qing looked quietly at the two people in front of him. He was met with two faces etched with wry smiles.

"We can only pray. Hopefully, this Divine Envoy of the Crow God isn't foolish enough to charge into the city. Otherwise..."

The man with the crew cut looked at Gao Qing, sighed softly, and whispered, "Be prepared to sacrifice your life at any moment. I am a fully Modified Human. My consciousness has been backed up. When necessary, I'll do my utmost to protect you two."

The atmosphere in the room grew extraordinarily oppressive. No one spoke further, silence enveloping them.

***

"We're here. That'll be thirty-seven dollars and eight cents. Just pay thirty-seven, and we're even."

Lu Yuan scanned the QR code to pay and got out of the taxi.

He now stood before a mid-tier residential complex in the eastern district of Burnt Rock City.

However, this wasn't Lu Yuan's destination. The place he sought was still some distance away.

He started eastward along the sidewalk outside the complex. His pace quickened, from a walk to a jog, then into a full run.

Upon reaching a secluded spot, a blind angle for surveillance cameras, Lu Yuan leaped into the adjacent greenbelt and sprinted towards a more distant location.

About twenty-odd miles east of Burnt Rock City lay a mountainous area. A reservoir had been built here.

In earlier years, the tourism bureau had developed it into a scenic spot; Lu Yuan had even visited once with his family.

He remembered the place was called Tiger Head Mountain; its shape vaguely resembled a tiger's head, and its terrain was precipitous.

Besides being sparsely populated, the mountain boasted abundant ancient trees and even a small stone forest.

This was the battlefield Lu Yuan had chosen for himself.

Firstly, the dense trees on the mountain could restrict his opponent's flight.

Secondly, if he couldn't win, he could slip into the woods or dive into the reservoir, and his opponent would have no way to catch him.

Lu Yuan covered the twenty-odd-mile distance in just over ten minutes.

The mountainous forest terrain was especially suited to the Crane Sect's movement technique; he even felt his speed increased slightly here.

Lu Yuan moved through the forest like an agile ape, leaping and vaulting.

His No. 4 Middle School uniform was snagged by branches along the way, tearing it in multiple places.

Yet, the tears left no mark on Lu Yuan's skin.

He naturally entered the Level 3 state of Absolute Focus, feeling a fighting spirit slowly awakening in every part of his body, in every fiber, in every cell.

THUMP! THUMP!

THUMP! THUMP!

Lu Yuan's heart pounded furiously, each beat pumping out far more blood and power than an ordinary person's.

He craved this battle.

An evenly matched, exhilarating, life-or-death struggle with an uncertain outcome.

Amidst the WHOOSH of the wind rushing past his ears, Lu Yuan's will as a Fighter was like a constantly polished mirror.

It gradually sharpened from a blur, the overlying dust wiped away bit by bit, until it finally became... immaculately clear, gleaming brilliantly!

THUD!

Lu Yuan landed heavily on a huge, moss-covered boulder, his feet creating two shallow indentations.

He glanced around, then contentedly sat down on the boulder.

This spot was far from the scenic area; no one would venture up here.

Moreover, the location was quite ingenious.

Above Lu Yuan's head towered ancient trees of indeterminate age, their branches interwoven with large, dense patches of tangled green vines.

Only faint daylight filtered through, just enough to barely make out the sky above.

Further back lay a naturally formed forest of grotesque stones.

These two features formed a barrier, almost like a cage or a net.

As long as he could drag his opponent down from the sky, Lu Yuan was fairly confident he could prevent them from taking flight again.

RRRIP—

He casually tore off his school uniform, now tattered from the branches, revealing fair, well-proportioned muscles with a streamlined, aesthetic grace.

Lu Yuan took out Moon Snatching, which he carried with him, and the crow mask, placing them gently before him.

The temperature in the mountain forest was low, the air damp and cool—perfect for Lu Yuan.

He sat on the huge bluish-green stone, thought for a moment, then also removed his shoes, feeling even more unrestrained.

CAW! CAW!

The cawing of crows reached his ears.

Accompanied by the sound of flapping wings, the murder of crows that had pursued Lu Yuan finally arrived.

They perched in the trees and on the stones, waiting calmly.

Clearly, their role today was just as important.

They were symbols of a lofty will.

They were the audience, judges, and notaries for today's internal duel of the Crow God Sect.

Lu Yuan paid them no mind. Before the malevolent presence he sensed mentally arrived, he could still make a few more preparations.

Clouds of black Death Qi emerged around Lu Yuan, transforming into various shapes according to his will.

Since the Divine Servants can transform Death Qi into things like tentacles to attack, couldn't I use that too? It wouldn't have to be my main offensive method; even just aiding in combat would be good. I've already made thorough preparations for a ground-to-air battle, but if... if I could fly, or at least hover for a short time? That would be even better.

***

"He's here!"

In the room, Gao Qing and the other two, already in full combat gear, stared intently at the real-time map projected before them.

On the map, a glaring red dot was drawing ever closer to their current location in the urban area of Burnt Rock City.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.